How to Build Business Value Buyers Truly Pay For
By Paul Gibbins on Feb 23, 2026 9:00:00 AM
A practical framework for SME owners planning a successful exit Where to focus if you want a stronger valuation To increase the value of a business before exit, focus on financial clarity, strong margins, scalable operations, a capable management team, and reducing reliance on the owner. These facto …
What Buyers Value in a Business
By Paul Gibbins on Jan 26, 2026 12:00:00 PM
How to build a business that achieves a stronger exit and commands a better valuation What do buyers really value? When business owners think about exit, the focus often centres on timing, valuation multiples, or finding the right buyer. However, experienced acquirers tend to approach the question f …
Pricing for Profit: How SMEs Improve Gross Margin & Profit
By Paul Gibbins on Dec 19, 2025 10:00:00 AM
For many SMEs, improving profitability doesn’t require more customers — it requires better pricing. Yet pricing is often one of the least structured parts of a small business. Many owner-managed businesses rely on historic rates, gut feel, or “what we’ve always charged”, without a clear pricing stra …
How SMEs Can Improve Sales Performance: Six Steps to Build a Proactive, High-Performing Sales Team
By Paul Gibbins on Dec 17, 2025 9:15:00 AM
How SMEs Can Transform a Reactive Sales Team into a High-Performing Commercial Engine For many UK SMEs, improving sales performance is one of the most important routes to increasing growth, profit and business value. Yet across Secantor’s work with owner-managed businesses, a consistent challenge em …
Has Your Business Growth Stagnated? Here's How to Recover.
By Paul Gibbins on May 25, 2025 9:15:00 AM
Most businesses experience peaks and troughs — but when your business hits a plateau and growth stalls for months or even years, you’re suffering from business stagnation. For many SME owners and managing directors, this can be both frustrating and concerning, especially if you're not sure what to d …
Thinking Of Exiting Your Business: What Are Your Options?
By Paul Gibbins on Apr 4, 2025 9:30:00 AM
If you’re a business owner or managing director of an SME, there may come a time when you begin thinking seriously about exiting your business. Whether it’s to retire, pursue other ventures, or simply capitalise on the value you’ve built, planning a successful exit is one of the most important decis …
Accountant vs Part-Time Finance Director: Understanding the Difference and How They Work Together
By Paul Gibbins on Feb 17, 2025 9:30:00 AM
Business owners sometimes misunderstand the different roles of Practising Accountants and ‘part-time’ or ‘outsourced’ Finance Directors (FDs) / Chief Financial Officers (CFOs). Our blog provides a helpful explanation. As an SME business owner, you understand that managing your finances goes beyond s …
The Blueprint For Success: Why Every Business Needs To Write A Plan
By Paul Gibbins on Dec 28, 2024 9:15:00 AM
The Business Plan: A Cornerstone of Success In the dynamic and challenging environment SME businesses face, having a well-thought-out business plan isn’t just a formality — it’s the cornerstone of success. Writing business plans drive business accountability, aligns stakeholders, and provides a clea …
How Can a Fractional CFO Transform Your Bottom Line?
By Paul Gibbins on Nov 23, 2024 10:15:00 AM
How Can a Fractional CFO Transform Your Bottom Line? One of the key factors in achieving business success is having a solid grasp of your finances. A deep understanding of costs and insight into where profit is made and lost is essential to support effective strategic decision-making. However, finan …
How to Combat the Feeling of Loneliness as a Managing Director.
By Paul Gibbins on Oct 9, 2024 1:00:00 AM
It's Lonely at the Top Being the owner or Managing Director (MD) of a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) can feel like you're running a one-person race. While you may have a team working alongside you, the burden of responsibility is uniquely heavy on your shoulders. Decision-making, solving com …